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TV star Hugh Dennis was found himself outnumbered by children again when he visited Portsmouth to open a school’s new building.

The Mock The Week and Outnumbered comic went to St George’s Beneficial Primary School on St George’s Day to open the new building, which has been in the pipeline for six years.

Actor Hugh Dennis opened the new building at St George's Breneficial Primary School in Portsea accompanied by headteacher Sandra Gibb and The Anglican Bishop of Portsmouth The Reverend Christopher Foster. Picture: Malcolm Wells (150423-8314)

Mr Dennis, who lives near Chichester, cut the ribbon on the entrance to the facilities and was given a tour of the building and the newly-constructed garden by the headteacher Sandra Gibb.

He said: ‘Primary schooling is the key bit and you have to get kids going at a very early age and then you set them up for life.

‘It’s a great school and it’s got a great headteacher.

‘It’s got great new buildings and its obviously the centre of this community so it’s very nice to be asked to come and do this.’

On the day, the pupils used the hall to put on a show about the history of Portsea, where the school is, before a time-lapse video of the building’s construction was shown.

‘It’s been amazing. To have Hugh here just added kudos,’ said Mrs Gibb.

‘For a national entertainer to give the time and respect to us, I am just so thankful that he would come.’

As well as a new hall, classrooms, and library, the building includes new offices, a staff room, and new entrance area, all of which was funded by the local authority’s Primary Capital Plan.

‘It’s taken a long time to get to this stage but we now have the most amazing resource,’ added Mrs Gibb.

‘Using the flower beds in the garden the children are going to grow the food and then cook it. Simple things like that we can now do.

‘I do feel that we’re very very lucky to have such a learning resource.

‘It gives us so many more opportunities.

‘For the 11 years I have been here we have always been a very strong and close-knit staff and we are dedicated to giving these children the very best we possibly can.’